Gran Sasso Questions Answered

The Beige Mercerised Zip Polo Shirt is the best Gran Sasso for smart-casual. It is our Gran Sasso bestseller — mercerised cotton gives a subtle lustre and cool touch that dresses up easily under a jacket, while the zip neck keeps it relaxed enough for everyday wear.

The Navy Crew Neck Knitted Jumper is the best everyday Gran Sasso knit. A classic crew in a colour that works with everything, built with Gran Sasso's fully fashioned construction — shaped during knitting rather than cut from flat fabric — for a clean fit that holds its shape.

The Grey Long Sleeve Zip Merino Wool Silk Mix Knitted Polo Shirt is our top merino pick. The merino-silk mix combines merino's breathability and temperature regulation with silk's natural sheen and drape — a genuinely luxurious knitted polo you can wear from autumn through spring.

The Navy Button Up Technical Overshirt is Gran Sasso's best layering piece. It bridges knitwear and outerwear — light enough to wear over a tee or fine knit, smart enough to replace a jacket on milder days. Pair it with the Navy Technical Drawstring Trouser for the full co-ordinated look.

The Dark Navy Mercerised T Shirt is the best Gran Sasso tee. Mercerised cotton — Gran Sasso's Lisle yarn — has a subtle lustre and cool touch that ordinary cotton tees simply do not have. It reads elevated rather than basic, and sits perfectly under the overshirts and hybrid jackets in the range.

The Navy Cable Knit 3 Button Polo Shirt is the pick for visible texture. Cable knitting gives the dimensional, tactile surface that Italian mid-gauge knitwear does best — it clearly reads as investment knitwear across a room. A statement piece without a logo in sight.

Yes — Gran Sasso is genuine investment knitwear. Every piece is made entirely in Italy by a family firm founded in 1952, using premium natural fibres and needle-by-needle linked construction. Knitwear at this level keeps its shape and softens with care rather than wearing out — the value shows in cost per wear over years, not the price tag on day one.

Yes — it is our Gran Sasso bestseller for a reason. Mercerised cotton gives a refined lustre and cool, crisp handle, and the zip-neck shape is the most versatile silhouette in the range — smart with tailored trousers, easy with jeans. It is the piece we point first-time Gran Sasso buyers towards.

Yes — the difference is in construction and fibre. High-street knits are typically cut from flat fabric and sewn; Gran Sasso garments are fully fashioned and linked needle by needle, eliminating bulky seams. Combined with extrafine merino and mercerised cotton from premium sources, the result resists pilling and shape loss far better than mass-market alternatives.

Gran Sasso for specialist Italian knit craft; Paul Smith for British design signature. Gran Sasso is a dedicated knitwear house — fully fashioned, linked construction and premium natural fibres are the whole story. Paul Smith brings its distinctive design personality and colour to knitwear within a broader collection. We stock both, so you can compare them in person at 44 Barrow Street.

Gran Sasso for pure knitwear pedigree; BOSS for sharp branded smart-casual. Gran Sasso has done nothing but Italian knitwear since 1952 — it is the connoisseur's choice, with no visible branding. BOSS offers polished, recognisable knitwear that slots into a wider BOSS wardrobe. Both are stocked at OD's, so the right answer comes down to your style.

Gran Sasso uses Italian sizing — slightly slimmer than UK high-street brands. It typically runs a touch slimmer through the body than UK equivalents. If you are between sizes or prefer a more relaxed fit, sizing up is usually the right call. Our team can advise on specific styles in-store at 44 Barrow Street, St Helens.

Slim but never restrictive — buy true to size for refinement, size up for layering. Gran Sasso's men's fit follows natural shoulder alignment with generous armhole mobility, and the seamless linked construction removes bulk. Natural fibres like merino and cashmere have slight give but maintain their structure, so the knit settles to you rather than stretching out.

Only if you are between sizes or layering. For a clean, refined silhouette worn over a tee, take your usual size. If you plan to layer the knit over shirts, or simply prefer extra room, go one size up. Unsure? Visit us in St Helens to try both — feeling the fit is the fastest way to decide.

Mercerised cotton — Gran Sasso's Lisle yarn — is treated cotton with a subtle lustre and cool touch. It is what gives the mercerised zip polos and tees their refined, almost silky surface and crisp handle. It looks dressier than standard cotton and feels cooler against the skin, which makes it ideal for smart-casual wear through the warmer months.

Extrafine merino from New Zealand and Australia — breathable, resilient and genuinely non-itch. The micron count sits well below the prickle threshold, so it suits wearers who find standard wool uncomfortable. Merino regulates temperature naturally — cool in summer, insulating in autumn — and Gran Sasso's merino-silk mixes add a light sheen and beautiful drape on top.

It is the hand craft at the heart of every Gran Sasso knit. Garment panels are shaped during knitting — fully fashioned — then artisans connect them needle by needle, a technique called rimaglio. The result is a flat, ridge-free join with no bulk or scratch at the seams. Gran Sasso revived this disappearing Abruzzo skill through its own training academy.

Hand-wash in lukewarm water (max 30°C) with a neutral wool detergent. Merino is more forgiving than cashmere and tolerates a gentle 30°C wool machine cycle, but hand-washing extends its life significantly. Never twist or wring — roll the knit in a towel to remove excess water, then dry flat away from heat and reshape while damp.

Always fold — never hang long-term. Hanging stretches the shoulders permanently. Store clean knits folded in breathable cotton bags with cedar or lavender sachets to deter moths, in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight, and avoid plastic, which traps moisture. Between wears, give natural fibres 24 hours' rest — they relax and regain their shape.

Yes — Gran Sasso is one of Italy's most respected knitwear houses. Founded in 1952 by the four Di Stefano brothers in Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, Abruzzo, it remains family-run into the third generation. Every stage — spinning, knitting, dyeing, finishing — stays under Italian control, which is rare even among premium labels. Its maxim says it all: quality is always fashionable.

Yes — Gran Sasso sits in the upper-premium tier of Italian knitwear. It is quiet luxury rather than logo luxury: premium natural fibres — extrafine merino, cashmere, silk, mercerised cotton — hand-linked construction and 100% Made in Italy production. The luxury is in how it feels and how long it lasts, not in branding.

Entirely in Italy — every garment, every stage. Production is centred on the Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata headquarters in Abruzzo, with a dedicated cotton weaving plant at Roseto degli Abruzzi. Unlike labels that design in Italy and produce elsewhere, Gran Sasso keeps spinning, knitting, dyeing and finishing in its own Italian facilities — full traceability from yarn to finished knit.